Photographs
by Crimson-and-Cobalt
Summary: Long ago, All God’s Village made a terrible mistake. The last one out of many heartaches. L and Beyond are called back to the cursed village, a place steeped in darkness. BxL


_Cross-over- Death Note/Fatal Frame 2_

_Written by- Amatthews2891 and wolfesssanu_

_Pairing- BeyondxLawliet_

_Warnings- Yaoi, AU, Crossover, Lemon, Incest, dark Shinto rituals._

_Summary- Long ago, All God's Village made a terrible mistake. The last one out of many heartaches. L and Beyond are called back to the cursed village, a place steeped in darkness. BxL_

_Author's Note: This story is a refined Role-play between myself (L) and my good friend Anna (B) We hope you enjoy this!_

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**Photographs**

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_Prologue_

The crimson lanterns in a small, secluded village winked out of existence, leaving the earthy paths and feudal styled houses dark. Only one house remained lit by the soft glow of lantern light. It was the house of the Tachibana Family, which consisted of Itsuki and Chitose Tachibana. They were brother and sister, though years apart in age, which was uncommon for the small and short lived families that resided in All God's Village. This house was connected by paths of heaven, a bridge high over the pathways, and of earth, a tunnel underground. No one but the bravest, and of course twins, would enter the house opposite of the Tachibana house, it was said to be haunted. It was a house that had been left empty and had belonged to the Kiryu Family. If one wandered close enough, they could hear the whispering of a small girl, repeating 'why kill?' in askance over and over.

The Tachibana was void of its true residents because they had vacated the house to allow for a special purification ritual. Itsuki, a teenaged boy with silver hair had narrowed his eyes spitefully at the village's leader before quietly ushering his young sister out. Chitose didn't understand why they had to leave but she went with her older brother wherever he would go because she was half blind and the shadows of people might hurt her if her brother weren't near. The only two that were allowed in these houses for the past three days had been those that were taking part in a ritual that All God's Village had kept every ten years.

Inside the Tachibana home were two individuals, twins alike in appearance and spirit. The smaller of the twins was still and silent, gazing out of the lattice window into the empty pathways below. The slightly taller twin was seated on his mat, sitting oddly and staring at the other as if there were nothing else to the world. Tonight was a crucial night for All God's Village; it was a night that had been decided by fate. In a few hours, at the darkest twilight, the veiled priests would come, followed by the village's leader and ceremony master, Kurosawa. On this cold autumn night, the twins would go deep under the ground and take part in the ritual that was known to all of its inhabitants, but must not be seen.

Lawliet was the smaller boy, and was frail in body but not mind. His reflection was the taller seventeen year old Beyond, and he was strong in body but not mind. They weren't native to the village, they were outsiders, but since they were 'special' they had been taken in by the Tachibana family at the tender age of eight. Both of the twins were awkward in nature at first, but if one took the time you would appreciate their unique beauty. For their isolation for the past three days, both had been garbed in a porcelain colored kimono and had a crimson red cord connecting them at the waists in a gentle 'U'. Both youths were barefoot and had skin just as pale as the garments they wore. Each had wild and soft black hair; each had soft grey-blue eyes. Aside from the inch or so in height, they were perfectly identical.

Lawliet's breath hitched and he turned his head to face his slightly taller brother in response to a connection only twins had. He moved the two feet that separated them, the cord becoming lax and he fell into Beyond's waiting arms. Their embrace was tight and desperate. They had gained a home for being 'special, for being twins, but the price… The price was too much to bear!

"L…" The taller twin whispered, though he had no comfort to offer either of them. Itsuki had been a twin, now he was alone. The white haired teenager had tried desperately to find a way for them and the Kurosawa daughters to escape the village, because once you entered by the Shinto Gates, there was no way out. He had been on the verge of discovering a secret way to escape when the twins had been separated from the village for the delicate purification ritual. It was too late for them. Lawliet and Beyond weren't from this village and did not hold their customs in any esteem. They did not want to do this ritual, even when it was painted with pretty ideals. Now, those silly ideals were all they had left to cling to…

"_The two children chosen to Heaven…_" Lawliet whispered, his eyes burning with tears that couldn't fall. Beyond frowned and pulled his sweet brother against him, burying his nose in the soft fall of the other's hair. They remained that way for a long time, simply breathing in the other teen's scent and soaking in the other's presence. Beyond's stormy colored eyes became distant and he closed them.

"I will go mad without you, Lawliet. I know this." Was the soft murmur and the smaller of the two shifted to gaze up at his brother in trepidation.

"We will become one…" He stated weakly, the words empty since neither believed but wished it were true with their entire being. The taller twin's anger flared, revealing his unstable mind.

"But you won't be **here**!" Lawliet tensed at the harsh words and stared at his brother brokenly. Beyond sighed and pulled his smaller twin against him, making soft noises of reassurance.

"I'm not mad at you, L. Never at you." He vowed and L's trembling gradually subsided. Lawliet lifted his head and looked his twin solemnly in the eye.

"Promise me something, B." L demanded and Beyond's smile became bitter. They had promised to always be together. They were forced to break that promise, but they could make a new one.

"Anything, Lawliet." Beyond whispered and they both smiled shakily at one another.

"Promise me that it will be you who does it. Don't falter or they will intervene. I want it to be _you._" L murmured, hanging his head dejectedly. Beyond nodded his head in reluctance and he touched his brother's cheek.

"Kiss me, L." The smaller twin's eyes pinned in fear, not of his brother but of the taboo of two brothers loving one another and touching each other in that way. Beyond saw that his reflection was hesitating and smiled helplessly. They already loved one another that way. More than brothers were supposed to love, more than even twins. They were a perfect match in everything.

"We have nothing to lose by it." B added softly. At the infallible logic, the shorter twin calmed down and touched his older brother's face. He leaned in and chastely kissed the parted lips. _In this village, the one born second was the older twin…_ L's soft lips moved against Beyond's and B strengthened the kiss as the other sighed at the feeling. _And it was that knowledge that changed tonight vastly for both of them. _Arousal spiked through both in perfect synchronization, the taboo they were committing making the moment more intense than it would have been otherwise. Their tongues met in the chilly air as they parted for air, but became hot when their mouths met again, hungrier and noisier than before. But even the pleasant wet sounds of their first and last kiss couldn't drown out the sound of metal staffs clanking to the ground in unison, approaching the house steadily.

B jerked back from the kiss, his eyes becoming frantic with distress. L cupped his face with both hands and made his older twin look at him without fail.

"Beyond… Promise me." Lawliet whispered feverishly, through his own fear. Silence fell between them, the sounds of the priests' staffs growing louder. The older twin's face had become blank and L forced himself to do the same as he waited for an answer. The front door opened and it was only then that Beyond whispered the two words like a death sentence.

"I promise."

They both stood and their hands clasped together, joining them as firmly as the red rope hanging between them. Heavy footsteps approached the door and they exchanged a look that spoke volumes. The twins would not let them see their fear. When Kurosawa-san entered the room, he saw blank expressions on the Alter Twin's faces. The ceremony master grunted and looked at Lawliet as if sizing his worth. Beyond frowned at that and glared, his hand tightening around L's. Kurosawa watched the exchange and nodded in approval.

"This way."

The pair of teenagers followed the gruff man to the procession of veiled priests. Beyond and Lawliet held hands tightly as they walked amidst them and then the men turned, clanking their staffs upon the ground firmly. The brothers were led by the ceremony master, flanked on both sides by priests that covered their faces. The staffs would be silent for a few heartbeats before hitting the ground in unison loudly. They traveled to the largest house in the village, surrounded by water. They looked at each other and went forward to push the doors of the Kurosawa house open for the priests and themselves. Somewhere in the dark shadows, the twins Yae and Sae were watching with wide eyes and heavy hearts. But they did not intervene, they didn't dare.

The sharp clank of the priest's staffs echoed throughout the large house and the ceremony master led the procession once more. The hallways and corridors seemed endless, unnerving both boys deeply. Once, Lawliet stumbled in his footing and the priests marked it with a missed beat, only to begin the steady rhythm again when Beyond helped his younger and frailer brother to his feet. The group then entered a large room that was circular in shape. Beyond frowned and looked around, the basin in the middle of the room reeking of metal and rot. Only when his twin cried out in distress did he look back at L, who was looking at the ceiling. Following the gaze, B's heart throbbed in fear and pain.

Above them hung hundreds of ropes, all stained with dark red blood. The atmosphere of the room was almost too much to bear. Here, the outsiders were slaughtered. Here, was where the Cutting Ritual took place. This is where the Kusabi was beaten and cut until at the peak of pain. There was a faint trail of blood that led downwards, into the caverns below All God's Village. This is where the veiled priests started towards without fail. They exchanged wide eyed glances, but B and L could not change fate, so they continued on, still holding hands, still bound by the red cord.

The staffs were louder now, the sound sharpened by the cave walls. Beyond was the one to give a startled cry this time when a Mourner stepped into their path. The procession stopped and the clanging stalled. The brutalized man turned his bound eyes towards the twins and then bowed, moving out of the way. Kurosawa began to walk again and so did the twins and the priests. The path seemed to never end. The sound of the staffs never failed. And the ceremony master never halted his steps. Their hands clasped together tighter. All they had was each other. The path grew less steep and a Shinto Gate stood before the group. The circular cavern was lit by the light of thousands of candles. In the middle of the room, on the floor was an intricate system of runic symbols.

The priests walked around the edges of the cave and formed a circle, six veiled men on each side and they remained silent. The ceremony master walked to the middle of the room and took a knife out, motioning for the pair to come stand before him. The pair of teenagers did so with hesitance.

"Tonight, on the appointed decade to the month and day, do we humbly offer up the symbol of our village's deities as a plea for our continued bounty and protection. May the Malice whose true name must never be spoken accept this cry from your eternal servants!" Kurosawa bowed his head as the priest's began to bang their staffs to the ground once more, to the rhythm of a slow heartbeat. The sharp knife in the old man's hand cut down sharply, severing the cord so the long end slapped against the ground by Beyond. Lawliet flinched as if a vital artery had been cut. Their hands were forced apart and both were staring at one another with fearful eyes.

"_Two children_ _chosen to Heaven, may they be carried on the wings of the crimson butterfly. _With this sacred ritual, the twins become one once more! Give the elder twin the strength to end his younger brother! May you spare us once again!" The room fell silent besides the clanging of staffs. At their hesitance, Kurosawa forced Beyond to his knees and only stepped back when Lawliet willingly sank to his before his twin. B was breathing fast and heavy, staring at his twin in terror as if he only had realized what he was doing. Lawliet managed a shaky smile for his brother.

"Beyond…" He whispered. B's breath caught when his lithe and beautiful reflection took his hands and placed them against his pale throat. Lawliet didn't look afraid anymore, his grey-blue eyes were gentle with love for his brother.

"I'll be with you as a butterfly. That's what they say, right?" Beyond's thumbs stroked the soft flesh of Lawliet's throat as he nodded shakily. They didn't believe it, but it was all they had. When a veiled priest stepped out of the circle to hurry the process, Beyond growled and verbally lashed out.

"Don't touch him!" The man stepped backwards in awe and fear, the steady clanging slowing slightly. Lawliet closed his eyes and opened them to calm himself, wanting to be stronger for his twin.

"Please…you promised me. Only you. If I have to die, then let it be you. I love you, Beyond." The smaller twin relaxed instead of tensing up when his older twin's hands tightened around his throat, cutting off his breath.

"I love you too. Not even this can end it. Lawliet-mine, always. Mine, forever! Even through this!" Beyond whispered feverishly, his grip becoming solid. The staffs of the priests clanged in the manner of a speeding heart. Lawliet smiled feebly and stopped his instinctual struggling, letting his brother strangle him submissively. Beyond's eyes widened when those stormy eyes closed slowly, the staffs coming to an abrupt stop as L's life ended.

B pulled Lawliet's body to him, his eyes wide as he looked down at the still form of his other half, the once flawless neck now bearing a bright red strangulation mark in the shape of a butterfly. His own neck burned with the same mark, the mark of the older twin, the brand of the Remaining. He shook violently with shock and the Mourners forcibly took his twin's body from him. Beyond just now realized he was repeating something over and over…

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no…" He stood up and stumbled after the Mourners, to the very deepest part of the caverns, to where a pit was that hungered for death and violence. They threw Lawliet's body into the hole and everyone stood silently in trepidation. Minutes passed, but no crimson butterfly emerged…

"Failure!" The ceremony master spat.

"NO!" Beyond wailed, tearing at his hair wildly. He grabbed one of the veiled priests and shook him.

"He's gone! GONE! It's your entire fault! Everyone's! You made me kill the one I love! He's mine, but he's gone! NOOO!" Beyond raved before shoving the shocked man into the hellish abyss. His eyes wandered down into it and he saw the writhing mass of bodies and the depth of their suffering. Everyone in the room relaxed, thinking that the Remaining would become blind as everyone else had before him. The teen stood there with his head lowered when he suddenly started to laugh lowly and bitterly.

"Henh Henh Henh…Henh henh ha… HAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHA HATE YOU! HATE YOU HATE YOU!" He shrieked and the twin raised his head, his eyes flaring a deep blood red.

The entire village shook, the very foundations crumbling as the twin laughed maniacally, even as tears of grief ran down his face. The Malice, Utsuro, had found Beyond to be worthy of becoming a God of Death and bearing the eyes. All God's Village had finally used up their borrowed time. The Shinigami King would reap what the damned village has sown.

"The Repentance! The Repentance is upon us!!!" The ceremony master screamed and he and the remaining priests tried to run. A ghastly apparition appeared beside the bereaved youth, ropes wrapped about his gaunt frame, congealed blood flowing from his feet. Beyond laughed harder as the Kusabi pointed purposely into the pit and darkness spilled forth, sucking the life out of any individual it touched. The pure white kimono that the teen wore was splattered in blood and the twin's normally passive face twisted in both mania and depression.

"LAWLIET IS MINE! MINE FOREVER! HOW DARE YOU! HOW _**DARE**_ YOU!!!" Beyond screamed, the entire village soaking in the blood of its own residents. The darkness swallowed up the village and it disappeared from existence with Beyond's laughter and grieved wailing still ringing in the crisp fall air.

_**To be continued…**_

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